Don't be fooled. There is no universal miracle diet, but there are some guidelines that if you follow, you will lose weight fast and be slim.

The way to lose weight fast is based on food choices, proportions and realistic aims.

What's a healthy diet?

As there are now endless variety of diets it's difficult to know exactly what is healthful and what isn't.

To understand, let's examine the basics regardless of the type of diet you follow.

Carbohydrate: 50-60%,

Protein: 10-20%

Fats Up to 30%.

This mix is accepted widely apart form 'the far out diet community', that go on about no fat or no carbohydrate and the way to lose weight.

In fact this is not a way to lose weight fast; it's a way to get ill.

Think about it: If fat and carbohydrate were so bad why are they part of the natural food chain?

2. Self & portion control.

The majority of diets that lose weight fast are successful simply because they are very good at helping people to control themselves, and also to plan the food they will eat and how much.

You should eat at least 3 - 6 times a day and this will have the affect of eliminating hunger pangs and thus you will not over eat, but you must be sensible with portion control.

So what is portion control? Well think about it like this. You are eating in dinner you have meat vegetables and carbohydrate to consider.

Look at the palm of your hand and that's the size of a baked potato you can have or as much chicken

By eating regularly you will suppress hunger and if you use the palm method of portion control you will be getting the right amount to eat

4. Variety.

All healthful diets have a minimum of 40 to 100 different food-types weekly.

Obviously the reason for this is by including a wide-variety of foods increases your chances of obtaining the required amounts of essential nutrients.

Foods are vitamin and mineral composition is food-specific and you need variety to get all the nutrients.

A good variety also keeps you from becoming bored and disinterested in lose weight fast diet and quitting before you have achieved your aim

Vegetables and Fruits

This means eating fruits and vegetables at least 5 times a day.

This can include frozen, canned, dried and pure juices as well as fresh. Also included in this group are beans, including baked beans, pulses and lentils.

Carbohydrates

Your diet should also include 5 portions of carbohydrates daily.

Eat as naturally as possible, so have brown rather than white rice wholegrain bread rather than white etc

This group includes breakfast cereals, pasta, rice, noodles, oats and other cereals, potatoes, bread and sweet potatoes.

Include at least one food from this group at each meal.

Dairy Products

2-4 servings daily is the recommended healthy eating level.

This will include milk; yoghurt and cottage cheese are included in this group, but not butter and cream.

Serving sizes in this group vary, depending on how concentrated the food is, e.g. 1 serving of milk is 175 ml, a serving of yoghurt is 125g and a serving of cheese is 50g.

Stick to these portions and go for low fat varieties i.e. skimmed or semi skimmed milk.

Animal Protein & Alternatives

2-4 servings daily choose low fat if your healthful eating plan is for losing weight. This group includes eggs, poultry, and meat and fish.

If any of these are processed food products they can be high in fat.

You must be very careful of processed foods. Also in your natural animal protein trim visible fat from meat and poultry.

Alternatives are non-meat sources of protein such as nuts, tofu, mycoprotein, textured vegetable protein (TVP) and kidney beans.

Fats & Sugars

Try to eat good fats and avoid sugar. Remember saturated fats are bad unsaturated fats are good.

The foods that are high in bad fat and/or sugar are butter, margarine, oil, mayonnaise, cream, crisps.

Soft carbonated drinks, sweets and jams are also high in sugar.

Foods that are high in both fats and sugars are cakes, chocolate, biscuits, pastries and ice-cream.

However, a healthful diet does include fat.

These should as stated be only unsaturated fat e.g. olive, sunflower and corn oil.

You have heard about the benefits of oily fish, make sure you get at least 3 portions a week. They contain omega 3 and are great for overall health. Good sources include: Mackerel, sardines and salmon

The secret of losing it and keeping it off

The real way to lose weight fast is to lose weight at a steady pace and not crash diet, as the only way to lose weight fast longer term is to make sure you keep it off and losing weight fast means being realistic

Forget all the miracle diets, follow the above advice and you will lose weight fast and in a healthy manner.